In all honesty, there wasn’t much about new music in 2011 that really stood out to me. I failed to be impressed by a lot of new groups and efforts, but here are five that soared above the competition:

BEST ALBUMS OF 2011

1. Mastodon, The Hunter

You probably saw this one coming a mile away, and that’s perfectly fine by me. It’s not really #1 because it’s the best Mastodon album, and it might not even be the best album of 2011. However, The Hunter is an ambitious effort with a certain “it” factor that albums by many other bands today are lacking. I’m happy to see my boys succeed, and listening to many of the songs still give me a warm, fuzzy feeling.Plus, this time around Mastodon forewent an elaborate concept and instead wrote songs that were either straight-up Rock N Roll fun (“Blasteroid), Radio Friendly jams (“Curl of the Burl”), and emotional, heart-achingly intimate lyrical odes to family (“The Hunter” and “Thickening” are stand-outs). My favorite song is still “Creature Lives” due to the special memory I carry from first hearing that song; other favorites are “Spectrelight”, “Dry Bone Valley”, and “All The Heavy Lifting”. Let’s hope Mastodon wins that Grammy in February - they deserve it.

2. Wavves, Life Sux

No other album this year better embodied punk rock spirit, teen angst, and excessive Dave Grohl worship better than this one. Every single song sounds like a beach party supplied with lots of hallucinogens and cotton candy. The stand-out track is “Destroy” (featuring Damian from Fucked Up); it actually might just be my favorite song of the year. Also, “I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl” is the “I Want Eddie Fisher For Christmas” of this decade (Google it, younguns).

3. Lady GaGa, Born This Way

Admittedly I was a bit disappointed with the title track, but the rest of the album is solid. Listeners get a glimpse into Gaga’s slow journey to emotional security and adulthood on this effort. Soaring above the thumping synths and ’80s sax solos is the voice of a woman who is just learning who she really is and is testing the waters of brave new worlds ahead. The lyrics are intimate and at times heart-breaking, and always confessional. Kudos to GaGa for still making a good, solid pop album in a sea of airwave-clogging bullshit.

4. Dark Castle, Surrender to all Life Beyond Form

Stevie Floyd and Rob Shaffer don’t just write solid doom-metal songs, they write living, breathing beasts that snarl, kick, and roar at listeners, all the while taking them on a journey into a more meaningful space. Middle-Eastern and Asian flourishes exist on a few tracks, and Stevie mixes her trademark growls in with clean, melodic coos and beckons. Overall, I was very impressed with this album, especially the title track. It’s a good album to play during a thunderstorm or a still, silent night.

5. Fucked Up, David Comes to Life

I discovered this artsy Toronto actafter Kylesa’s Laura Pleasants told me about them (thanks, Laura!). This is another album built on raw emotion, using  Damien’s intense barks in contrast with Sandy’s cool-as-a-cucumber sing-song melodies over sun-shiny punk jams, sort of like a beefed-up Pixies. My favorite track was “Queen of Hearts”, and the video to this song is phenominal; it’s easily the best music video of 2011 (watch it HERE). This is another concept album about star-crossed lovers trying to survive in industrial England in the 1970s - how much more punk can you possibly get than that?

There are other albums from this year that I haven’t checked out yet or heard enough of to make a judgment. Apologies if you do not see your effort here - I haven’t gotten to it, or I just wasn’t impressed with it.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF 2011

Red Hot Chili Peppers, I’m With You

The departure of John Frusciante was kind of a bad omen this time around for RHCP. I listened to this album with a fair attitude, and was thoroughly bored with it. All the songs kind of run together in one big, bland blob. I know that RHCP are capable of better, but it feels like they’ve lost their fun, carefree spirit that used to make the band so enjoyable.

BIGGEST “OH GOD, JUST FUCKING RETIRE ALREADY!”

Metallica and Lou Reed, LuLu; and Nightwish, Imaginaerium (tied)

At first, the idea of Lou Reed and Metallica teaming up together was intriguing…and then I heard the results. To reference a Roger Allen Wade song, listening to new Metallica is like frying bacon naked - first they tempt you, and then they torture you. I only heard one song off of this album, nearly threw up in my mouth, and then quickly tried to forget that it existed. Lou Reed is oil and Metallica is water - the two just don’t mix.

Everything about this album is just wrong. Seriously, it’s like molesting your eardrums with a power drill. Anette Olzon has fucked this band to the point that there is nothing original or dream-like about this one legendary symphonic metal outfit. Amidst the misuse of Celtic folk instruments, ’80s rock opera keyboards, Disney-Princess-On-Crack vocals and listless lyrics is the sound of a band that has outlived its usefulness. Take the money and run, Tuomas. It’s your best bet.

Let me know what you think about my choices!

Pretty excited about starting this feature up again, and the Facebook group has helped me to find more amazing women to interview. This time around, there should be some more special content. Every time I do this, it gets a little bigger and bigger, and I couldn’t be happier :)

Artists who are slated to be interviewed this time around include B (Rwake), Therese Lanz (KEN Mode, Mares of Thrace), Alicia Morgan (13), Meg Castellanos (Totimoshi) and the ladies of Seattle doom trio Grey. I’m also aiming to get Lori from Acid King this time around, seeing as how her touring schedule prevented her from being interviewed last April. We’ll see!

Actually, the interview with B (Rwake vocalist/keyboardist) was completed last night and she told me that once I post it up, she’ll send the link to Relapse :3

In the meantime while I sort all of this stuff out, check out some interviews I did during Part II:

Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle)

Sophie Willett (Alunah)

Julie Christmas (Made out of Babies/Battle of Mice)

Kelly Gabany (Vulture)

Laura Pleasants (Kylesa)

Taz Corona-Brown and Hel Sterne (Undersmile)

Amber Valentine (Jucifer)

Chiyo Nukaga (Noothgrush, Graves at Sea, a million other bands!)

Claire Horrocks (Bastard of the Skies)

Liz Buckingham (13, Sourvein, Electric Wizard)

Enjoy!

Not by me, but by the lovely dadsucks. Check it out!

http://fuckyeahdarkcastle.tumblr.com

Gonna send this link to Stevie in a few minutes :)